Piano-action.



J. B. MURRAY.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION 111,111) xov.22.1911.

1,034,489. Patented Aug. 6,1912.

anon 11:01, JBMWM Wiiuwoeo a I U I coLmnulA mnoaluru 09.. wAsulNa'mu, 6,c.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 3. MURRAY, or EILLWOVOD CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLeNo-Ac'rIoN.

I Specification of Letters iatcnt.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Application filed November 22, 1911. SerialNo. 661,694.;

certain new and useful Improvementsin,

Piano-Actions, of which'the following is-a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings. 1 a

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in piano actions andmore particularly to the means for securing a bridle strap to the hammerand my ob ect is to provide a simple and efficient means for securingthe bridle strap to the butt of the hammer, which means will obviate themany difliculties now experienced in the present means employed.- I

A further object of the invention resides in providing a spring memberremovably secured to the hammer butt of a pi'a-no action, a portion ofwhich is adapted to engage the bridle strap and secure the same inposition on the butt. r

A still further object resides in providing an improvement for securingthe opposite end of the bridle strap .to the rod of the jack lever ofthe action and another .object is to provide a device which, whilesimple and durable in construction, is inexpenslve to manufacture andvery eflicient in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the specification andclaims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application Figure 1is a side elevation of a piano action, as much of the same being shownas is deemed necessary to illustrate the proper application of theimprovement thereon; Fig. 2 is a section as seen on line 2-2 of F 1;Fig. 3 is a vertical section as seen on line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 isa section through that portion of the rod and the jack lever to whichone end of the bridle strap is secured.

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates a hammer, the butt 2 thereofbeing provided with 'the usual counter-check 3 and -indicates the jacklever having the usual rod 5 mounted thereon.

The usual method ofsecuring a bridle strap in position between theseelements is by-ise'cu'ring one end thereofto the rod-.5 While theopposite end ofthe' same is glued or otherwise: applied to: the hammerbutt by some adherentmatter and as this method 5 has proved tobe a .poorone, the same embodying-a great many difficulties inthe operationthereof; I provide my improvement which consists in first providing apin or the like 6 on'the hammerbutt2immediately below the counter checl;3,-.to which pin is engaged, by 'merely insertin the same thereover, theone end of a bridle strap 7. The side faces of the hammer butt 2 areprovided with vertical channels or slots 8, the lower ends of whichcommunicate with a channel 9 whichflextends transversely through saidhammer butt and v a wire spring member 10 which is looped a number oftimes in its length to give the required tension, has the arms thereofdisposed in said slots 8 and the free ends of said arms bentto extendwithin the trans verse channel 9. i

In order to securely retain two arms in their respective slots 8 and thebent free ends thereof in the channel 9, a ring or eye member 11 isencircled about the pair of arms in order to move thereon soas to restagainst the hammer butt 2 and securely retain said arms in position andthe opposite or looped end of the spring member 10 is bent so as to bedisposed against that portion of the butt 2 in which the pin 6 isdisposed. This end of the spring member is the effective end thereof andis looped in this portion, as shown at 12, to provide an eye or the likethrough which the pin 6 is adapted to extend, when said spring is in itseffective position, and it will be seen that after the one end of thebridle strap 7 has been properly positioned on the pin 6 said spring maybe allowed to effectively engage said strap and detachably retain thesame on the pin against the hammer butt. The opposite end of the bridlestrap '7 is engaged with the upper end of the rod 5 which is threaded,as shown at 13, said threaded portion being engaged with the nuts 14 and15, between which is disposed said bridle strap. Thus,

it will be seen that after the strap has been positioned thereon betweensaid nuts the latter may be turned on the threaded portion 13 so as tobe brought toward one another thereby securing the bridle strap t0 therod 5. I

In practice, it will be seen that the spring member 10 may. first besecured to the harm mer'butt by disposing the arms'therofin the slots 8and the free'ends of the'same' in the channel 9 of said hammer butt,whereupon the ring 11 may be moved on said arms so as to cause thesameto fit t-ightly'within their respective slots." The one end of thebridle strap 7 is then engaged with the pin 6 and the free and effectiveend of the spring member 10 allowed to engage said bridle strap todetachably retain the same against the hammer butt 2. The bridle strapmay then be guided'through the head portion of the counter check andengaged.-with the threaded portion of the rod 5 and locked in positionthereon by the nuts 14 and 15, as described above.

From this construction it will be appreciated that the numerousobstacles and difliculties which are experienced in the use of the meansnow employed for securing the bridle straps on the hammer butt, will beobviated and that, should it for any reason, whatsoever, becomenecessary to remove the bridle strap or the like, the samemay be veryquickly and readily accomplished.

Furthermore, it will be seen that the means in general is one ofextremely simple and durable construction, it is inexpensive to Copiesof this patent may be obtained for manufacture and is one which is veryefiicient and useful in operation.

What I claim is:

1. In apianoaction, the combination with a hammer butt anda bridlestrap; of a pin secured to said hammer butt with which said bridle strapis engaged, and a spring member J detachably retaining said bridle strapin'ehgagement with said'Pin against said hammer buttz 1 2. In a pianoaction, the combination with a hammer butt and-a-bridle-strap; of a pinsecured to said :hamI'nerebuttwith which one end of said bridle strap isengaged, and a spring'member remov'ably secured to said hammer buttand-having a portion thereof engaged with 1 said: .bridle strap. todetachably secure the same on said pin and against the-hamme'r-butt.-

3. In a device of the class described, the combination :xwith a hammerbutt and a bridle strap,avof a: pin secured to said hammer buttwithEwhich: onehfend of said bridle strap is engaged,a=. a :zslpringmember, and means to. removably secure the'sameto said hammer butt, saidspring'having a portion thereof bentito encircle the pin and contactwith said hammer butt, whereby the bridle strap will be detachablysecured to the lat- 'In testimony whereofl hereu ntoafiix: my

signature in thevpresence of two witnesses w JOHNaB. MURRAY;

" Witnesses:

MICHAEL SALMEN, 1 FRED -E:-'JONES, S

five cents each, by addressing the.commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C..- i

